Few bands in the modern prog scene are as controversial as The Contortionist. Despite their growing success, the ongoing transition in sound from trailblazers of progressive deathcore to settling into a niche of post-rock and prog influenced alt metal has proven to be divisive among their otherwise dedicated fanbase. Although there were clear and deliberate steps away from deathcore between their celebrated debut Exoplanet and its well-received follow-up Intrinsic, the true turning point for The Contortionist came in 2014’s Language, and it’s no wonder given the lineup overhaul that occurred at that time. Vocalist and keyboard player Jonathan Carpenter and bassist Chris Tilley amicably left following the Intrinsic touring cycle for personal reasons, with the band picking up Last Chance To Reason’s Michael Lessard (vocals), ex-Scale The Summit’s Jordan Eberhardt (bass), and keyboardist Eric Guenther. With the band now half-consisting of new members and a trajectory towards prog already heavily hinted at, it’s no wonder that Language wound up being such a departure.

Massachusetts prog metal band Caricature — who you may remember as the band who previously dedicated an entire half hour epic to a special feline friend this year — have just released their new EP Unborn earlier this month. Featuring past and present members of Heavy Blog favorites System Divide, Binary Code, and Last Chance To Reason, it’s a melodic groove-minded record for fans of acts such as Gojira, Periphery, and Devin Townsend Project. Expect propulsive songwriting and a plethora of soaring, memorable choruses.

We’re back to our normal setup! And just like many artists who make a comeback past their time, we’re hella edgy this week. Since we skipped a week, this week is all news and discussion surrounding recent events! Like what, you ask? Well, Meshuggah’s 25 year package, Sepultura working on their new album, Manowar’s calling it quits, some random Christian band going full /r/atheism, Bandcamp’s dig at Apple Music, Justin of Sikth being replaced by Joe of Aliases, Lee leaving After the Burial, Dragonforce releasing a “best of” album, Pain of Salvation remastering Remedy Lane. New music or teases thereof by: Periphery, Revocation, Whispered, Metallica, Last Chance To Reason, Whispered, Thank You Scientist, Starofash, Stam1na and Machine Head. The passing of Nick Menza of Megadeth. The end of Temples Festival. Finally, discussing this trendy “best of 2016 so far” list, some Apple Music playlist that tries way too hard, and Gojira’s upcoming album Magma.

Much like their Italian peers in Destrage, Rome’s Element of Chaos is quirky as hell and completely unafraid to shift genres at the drop of a hat, all while maintaining a constant heavy edge. Though the band formed in 2007, they’ve flown under my radar until the band just released A New Dawn, an impressive and interesting take on prog-metal, metalcore, and even full-on video game music thanks to the album’s absurdly bombastic keyboard performances. The bulk of their sound is rooted in the chuggy riffing that’s come to be synonymous with so many modern prog bands, but there are also plenty of moments that harken to new-age Between the Buried and Me and Mr. Bungle as well, particularly one of the album’s most interesting and visceral moments, “Mutant Circus Manifesto.” With plenty of unbridled fury and cyclonic keyboard work that’d make bands like Last Chance to Reason and HORSE the Band nod their heads in approval, this is definitely some new metal to keep your eyes on.

A Venn Diagram of prog metal nerds and cat lovers is sure to be a near total eclipse. Joseph Spiller of prog metal act Caricature (which features former members of bands such as The Binary Code, System Divide, and Last Chance To Reason) has taken it upon himself to become a prominent figure of this subset of enthusiasts by writing a powerful and epic ode to his beloved feline companion Parmesan.

Has death metal started to feel a bit too homogeneous for you lately? Do you think that a lot of djent bands djumped the shark a few years ago? Or maybe you want to check out a prog band that keeps songs at a reasonable length? Let California’s Entheos be your golden ticket out of this musical rut you’ve found yourself in. Trust us here at Heavy Blog when we say that The Infinite Nothing is an absolute gut-punch; a motherfucking flurry of warped guitar riffs, crushing production and some of the most amazing bass performances you’re likely to hear in the style for the next couple of years. I had the privilege to speak with the band’s vocalist, Chaney Crabb, last week about how the band has improved since their debut EP, confronting anxiety through writing, tour homies and a whole lot more!

For those who missed our last installment, We post biweekly updates covering what the staff at Heavy Blog have been spinning. Given the amount of time we spend on the site telling you about music that does not fall neatly into the confines of conventional “metal,” it should come as…

For those who missed our last installment, We post biweekly updates covering what the staff at Heavy Blog have been spinning. Given the amount of time we spend on the site telling you about music that does not fall neatly into the confines of conventional “metal,” it should come as…

For those who missed our last installment, We post biweekly updates covering what the staff at Heavy Blog have been spinning. Given the amount of time we spend on the site telling you about music that does not fall neatly into the confines of conventional “metal,” it should come as…

For those who missed our last installment, we post biweekly updates covering what the staff at Heavy Blog have been spinning. Given the amount of time we spend on the site telling you about music that does not fall neatly into the confines of conventional “metal,” it should come as…